MOUNTAIN WEATHER FORECAST

Time and Day: 0700 Tuesday

The Snapshot:  Rain today changing to mixed rain and snow tonight, snow tomorrow and Thursday with active wet weather continuing through the weekend.

The Science

Current Observations:  It is overcast this morning with a temperature profile of 38f base / 36f ridge,  the barometer is 1012mb’s and dropping sharply,  the ridge top winds are easterly and blowing 5-10 mph’s.  The radar has several bands of moisture beginning to move into the mountains.  The main bulk of moisture is currently south of Stevens Pass but is tracking ENE. 

The Forecast:  The incoming moisture-laden warm air mass is being pushed by a cold front.  The front is still offshore, but is expected to move past the Cascade crest late this afternoon.  Once the front passes to the east, the freezing levels will fall to 4500’ and the precipitation will shift to intermittent showers.  Moderate snow showers will persist into Thursday.  

As cooler air fills in tomorrow, the freezing levels will fall in our favor.  Most of the precipitation on Wednesday and Thursday should be in the form of snow.   Daytime warming will push high temperatures to or just above 32 degrees.     

The Long Range:  Very active wet weather continues through the weekend with higher freezing levels on Friday and Saturday.      

24hr values daily 4am to 4am.

Precipitation: Today 24hr water: .5  snow: 0-2 Tomorrow’s 24hr water: .5  snow: 2-4 Trend and Timing: Rain today will shift to mixed rain and snow overnight.

Temperature: Low: 30    High: 40 Freezing level: 7000’-4000’ Trend and Timing:    Freezing levels will drop to 5000’ late this afternoon and then fall to 4000’ sometime after midnight.

Winds Base: 0-5 E Ridge Top: 5-10 ESE Trend and Timing: ESE winds will be the general flow pattern with periods of westerly’s kicking in with the passing of the front tonight.